A drink driver crashed into a woman he was about to meet for a first date.

Trevor Woodside had taken a Mercedes car belonging to his employer without permission and had been drinking earlier in the day, a court heard.

His date was travelling from Newry to Downpatrick in Ireland and while en route she received a number of text messages from Woodside asking about her location.

She asked the 33-year-old if had been drinking and he replied "No", Judge Piers Grant was told.

Prosecutor Sam Magee said the woman was driving along the Ballydougan Road in her Volkswagen Golf car travelling at a speed of 45 mph in a 60 mph zone.

He told Downpatrick Court: “As she approached the junction with the Drumcullen Road near Downpatrick race course, suddenly a black Mercedes car came at her at speed after having crossed on to her side of the road.

“One witness described that the black Mercedes had passed their vehicle ‘like a rocket’.

"The woman swerved in an attempt to avoid a collision, but to no avail.”

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Five hours after the accident Woodside was tested and found to have 154 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of his blood. He was twice the legal limit at the time.

The court heard that officers from the PSNI’s Collision Investigtion Unit examined CCTV from Market Street, Downpatrick and identified the black Mercedes travelling on the wrong side of the road out of Downpatrick at speeds between 47-53 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Mr Magee said experts “could not determine” the precise speed of the Mercedes car on impact with the Volkswagen Golf.

“They say it was probable to suggest that the momentum of the Mercedes car was greater than that of the Volkswagen on impact.”

The court also heard that when the car examined, the speedometer of the Mercedes car was stuck at a speed of between 75-80 mph.

During his police interview in hospital, Woodside accepted he was the driver of the car and admitted he had been drinking.

Woodside, of Castleview, Killyleagh, had pleaded guilty to a total of four charges of causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving with excess alcohol and having no insurance.

Judge Grant heard that Woodside told police that he was heading to Castlewellan and as he drove round the corner of the Ballydougan Road “someone else was there”, adding “it was a moment of madness”.

He said he had “no recollection of the events and couldn’t remember anything until he woke up in hospital”.

Mr Magee told the court Woodside “expressed his sorrow” for what happened and said he “could have killed himself and somebody else” that evening.

Judge Grant said he wanted a Victim Impact Report on the injured woman to be compiled before he passed sentence.

Judge Grant said: “I have heard all the relevant information. It is inevitable that a substantial custodial sentence must be imposed in this case.”

Woodside’s family sobbed in the public gallery as he was led away in handcuffs by prison guards. Sentencing is due to take place on May 11.